Scottish-bred speedster American Affair bounced back into top form to capture the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood, delivering a memorable victory for trainer Jim Goldie. The horse, who had previously triumphed in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer, missed the rest of the 2025 campaign after suffering an injury that kept him sidelined for several months. A respectable second‑place finish behind Night Raider in the Temple Stakes at Haydock in May hinted that the colt still possessed a solid level of ability. However, his subsequent performances—coming home last when defending his Ascot title and then being out‑classed in a Listed race at York—led many to view him as a 12‑to‑1 outsider for his next Group Two challenge.
On race day, American Affair broke well and settled close to the pace in a group that raced nearest the stands rail. As the field turned into the home straight, the experienced jockey Paul Mulrennan guided the horse to a powerful finish. He surged past Rumstar and Time For Sandals on the centre of the track, while Australian filly Asfoora produced her best run of the day to finish a creditable fourth. Goldie's senior partner remained at Musselburgh, so his son George offered a brief statement on his father's behalf: "My dad is at Musselburgh, we couldn't both be here, but I think he'll be sorry to have missed it!" He went on to describe the horse’s temperament: "My daughter rides him every day; he's a lovely‑natured horse and clearly very talented.
We always believed he could return to this level. The injury at the end of last year disrupted his progress, but we’ve been patient and supportive." George added that the team had been building the horse back to his best form. "He gave us a glimpse of his quality at Haydock three runs ago, but Ascot was a disaster—he simply pulled too hard. At York he ran well despite a poor draw, so we arrived at Goodwood very hopeful.
He's finally finding his rhythm again and finishing strongly." Looking ahead, Goldie's camp outlined a tentative schedule: "We plan to target the Nunthorpe next, then perhaps the Curragh sprint, or even step up to six furlongs for the Haydock Sprint Cup. We haven’t entered him in the Abbaye yet; the Flying Five at the Curragh after the Nunthorpe looks more likely." In the weighing‑room, veteran jockey Paul Mulrennan praised the effort: "He did everything right today, so fingers crossed he continues this form. We’ll enjoy the Nunthorpe next and maybe even try a race in America. At this stage I probably have more years behind me than ahead, but I still feel strong.
It’s a highly competitive environment, and I only had one ride this week, so we made it count." Mulrennan also reflected on his own history with the race: "I’ve won this event twice before—once on Moviesta, when my wife Adele was riding. I think I should have won it twice more; Easton Angel was unlucky and Moviesta missed out another year.
It’s been a mix of luck and misfortune, but today we got it right." Wendy McGrandles of Barraston Racing, co‑owner of American Affair, highlighted the colt’s humble origins: "He’s had a few setbacks, but we always felt he was as good as he was last year. For us small breeders, this is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime moment. I remember him as a foal and even considering an eventing career if he didn’t prove fast enough for the track.
He was broken in for eventing because we weren’t sure about his size or speed, but he could always transition to a second career if needed." The article then shifted focus to other racing news, noting that Karl Burke was eyeing a U.S. campaign for his horse Shayem after Shayem denied the heavily‑favoured Talk Of New York in the HKJC World Pool Thoroughbred Stakes. Shayem, a recent Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes winner at Newmarket, had been positioned behind the pacemaker Catullus before taking the lead inside the final half‑furlong and holding on by half a length under jockey Clifford Lee. Burke commented, "We didn’t have to lead, but we knew Billy (Loughnane on Catullus) would give a nice gallop and Cliff was the only one who could keep tabs on the leader.
Last year people thought he preferred soft ground, but he’s proved otherwise this season. He handled the undulating Newmarket track perfectly." He also mentioned future targets for Shayem, including valuable sprint races at Kentucky Downs and Colonial Downs in September, and possibly a return for the Celebration Mile if the connections decide against those U.S. trips.
Meanwhile, Charlie Appleby’s Talk Of New York, after a disappointing third‑place finish in the Group Three HKJC World Pool Thoroughbred Stakes, will have a brief respite before the trainer decides on the next step. Appleby reflected on the race dynamics, noting that the front‑running duo had a good turn of foot and that Catullus was never likely to stay the mile distance.
He praised the winner’s composure and suggested that a longer trip might be considered, but also emphasized the need for the horse to settle more calmly in the early stages. Overall, the Goodwood victory for American Affair provided a much‑needed boost for the Goldie stable, reaffirming the colt’s class after a period of setbacks and setting the stage for an ambitious spring campaign targeting premier sprint contests across the UK and possibly abroad.